Financial Wellbeing Consultant | Freelance | Trainer | Coach | Financial Mental Health First Aider | Money Guru and Mental Health First Aider
What do you think about Gambling advertising linked to sports? Shocking to see the levels of adverts during football games and the increase from 2023-24. Should there be tighter regulation in this area? How do we educate people better in the risks? Where is the signposting for support? Surely the advertising companies know we are in a cost of living crisis? Let me know your thoughts Ryan B. Lucy Wallington Mark Humphrey https://lnkd.in/ephjzFsD
I think the celebrities that get paid to endorse it should be ashamed for taking the money.
Andrew Search
2mo
Justine, I would like to see ALL gambling adverts banned … the damage addiction does is horrendous … and as anyone knows “the fun stops as soon as a loss is made.” to misquote a well known broadcaster!
Nick Hardy
2mo
I firmly believe that the reason why gambling escaped previous punitive measures was because that in the past, society did not understand or respect mental illness. Tobacco and alcohol abuse make people physically ill, which is very visible. Gambling does not, so it got a ‘pass’ at the time. With more awareness, mental health has become widely acknowledged and so the core problems caused by excessive gambling have rightly come to the fore. The ‘elephant in the room’ is that many who suffer from problem gambling do so out of financial desperation, they see it as a way to ‘escape’ their current situation. This has been true throughout history. Gambling has never been a ‘problem’ for those who indulge within their means, and as a chosen leisure pursuit. Again, the case throughout history. The current White Paper proposes Affordability Checks on players, complex to manage where cash over a counter is involved, but surely the most sensible ‘first base’ for step-by-step regulatory change?
Nick Hardy
2mo
I work in the B2B sector of the industry (and resolutely not consumer-facing), and agree in principle with the concept of wholesale advertising & sponsorship bans. There are, however, wider considerations to take into account before rushing in. It may well be that the arguments against gambling promotion are so societally important that they overpower certain inevitable consequences, but who’s to say? The argument that sports have survived the ban on tobacco industry support is true enough, but the money now pumped into sport by gambling companies totally dwarves that from any and all previous sponsors. The reality is that numerous sporting events, organisations and participants would be in financial peril within weeks without this investment. This would include numerous professional football clubs, all the way up to at least the Championship, and any ‘trickle-down’ support of ‘grass roots’ from them. And many other popular sports would be financially dessimated too. Would that be a socially or societally acceptable consequence? This cannot be ignored in the context of any balanced wider debate…
Nick Hardy
2mo
… And as a supporter of a football club that would not bat a financial eyelid if it lost its official betting partner or - in reality - if every league below the Premier League ceased to exist, I could take a selfish view and not care. But I’m a traditionalist, so I choose to care deeply. As for ‘spikes’ during major events, it is a provable fact (never mentioned by the industry, obviously) that in retail bookmaking, the biggest annual ‘spike’ in revenue occurs the week after the the payment of the Winter Fuel Allowance. Where this leaves the r/w media’s criticism of the Govt’s new “means testing” or their “Heat or Eat” headlines is also open to further debate. Or the notion that this demographic needs “educating”. Or the myth that the National Lottery (now Czech owned and run) is actually a “good thing”. I’m not defending the gambling industry, but the truth is, there are many more questions than answers.
Catherine Eadie
2mo
I completely agree. Gambling adverts linked to sports have become overwhelming, particularly in the middle of a cost of living crisis. We need tighter regulation in this area. Just like smoking adverts were banned due to their harmful effects, these should follow suit. I also very much dislike the term 'safer gambling' in the adverts and their links to services of support. Educating people on the risks of gambling is crucial. We need more widespread awareness campaigns that highlight potential dangers and provide clear signposting for support services. It's about protecting vulnerable individuals and ensuring that fans can enjoy sports without constant temptation. Let's push for change and make sports a safer environment for everyone. Pre-online gambling, there were always more bookies in areas of deprivation than anywhere else; who thought that one up?!
Mark Humphrey
2mo
I suspect in years to come we'll look back in a similar way we do to Cigarette companies that used to sponsor sports!!
Private Investor Networks Co-Founder Member at The Engagement Appeal.
2moEven the anti gambling adverts manage to be a gambling advert.